Disclaimer: I don't own anything that doesn't belong to me.
…
Tongue sticking out of her mouth, bluebell eyes narrowed in concentration, Nushi Cheng very slowly, very carefully lowered a microchip so small she needed tweezers to hold it into the open panel on the front of the device on her desk. "Almost… Almost… almost there…"
The insects filling the terrariums taking up most of the space on the desk continued merrily going about their own business, oblivious to the hard labor of their owner, the culmination of a project she been working on for months and had dreamed of for years beforehand. Laughter wafted through the open window of her dorm room as the rest of the students at the University also went about their own business, oblivious to the colossal scientific breakthrough Nushi was only moments away from achieving. She had considered closing the window to obtain absolute silence, but it had been getting rather stuffy thanks to all the work her soldering iron had gotten and the AC was busted (she'd torn it apart for parts, and not for the first time), and if it weren't for the occasional gust of fresh air she would probably have passed out from heat exhaustion hours ago.
Not for the first time, she wondered if she should have been doing this in one of the campus labs, but as always, she dismissed the notion. They didn't allow her insects into those labs – something she learned from her experience – and it was crucial she had viable subjects at hand for her invention's first real field test.
(Okay, sure, she could've finished in the lab then brought it back to her room to test, but then if something went wrong she'd have to go all the way back to the lab to fix it, then come back to test it again, and that just reeked of inefficiency and wasted time, which was something Nushi found utterly reprehensible.)
(And of course, there were certain reasons she couldn't work on this outside of the privacy of her dorm. Thank goodness she'd gotten a roommate who spent so much time in other people's beds she almost never used her own.)
(Then again, she'd set it up that way.)
With a faint click, the microchip locked into place. Sighing in relief, the attractive Chinese transfer student leaned back in her seat, wiped the sweat from her brow, and stretched, wincing as her back popped from hours of being hunched over as she worked on her device. "Owowowow… So much for my ergonomic chair," she grimaced. "Then again, it's no good if I'm not actually sitting properly in it…"
Rising from her chair, she did some stretches, wincing and cringing with each crack and pop as she flexed her toned, athletic limbs – the product of years of gymnastic training – here and there. As she twisted about, she happened to catch a glimpse of herself in her roommate's mirror – her own mirror was completely covered in notes, diagrams, pictures of insects, and a considerable amount of fanart of Queen Apista – and grimaced when she saw her own reflection.
"Yikes," she murmured, taking in the bags under her eyes, the way her blue-black hair drooped in its pigtails, and her freckles seemed to have faded. "When's the last time I slept?"
She glanced at her insect habitats. Predictably, none of them answered her.
Well, that certainly wouldn't be an issue for much longer, assuming her invention worked properly.
After she finished her stretches and stuck her head out her window to get a deep breath of fresh air – almost getting hit in the head by a frisbee in the process, but thankfully, even as tired as she was her reflexes were top-notch and she automatically caught it out of the air and flung it back with enough force she nearly concussed its owner – she sat back down at her desk, gazing lovingly at her creation.
At first glance it was a simple metal circlet with a large hexagonal panel at the front, currently open and exposing a considerable amount of wires and microcircuitry. On either side of the panel was a segmented metal cable, currently curled up on itself. Once it was activated, they would open up. All that was left was to add the final touch.
After cautiously glancing around the room – a futile effort, she knew, but it didn't hurt to be too careful – she opened one of her desk drawers, took out a box, opened it, dumped out its contents, took out the false bottom, removed the key inside, used it to open a locked drawer, took out the key inside, inserted it into a concealed slot under her bed, causing a floor panel to pop open, pressed the button inside, causing her covered mirror to slide aside to reveal a keypad, input a 50-digit sequence, causing one of her bedposts to fall off, reached inside to pull out another key, used it to open another drawer, and pulled out what appeared to be a diary.
She then opened the diary, revealing that it was, in fact, a diary. She grabbed one of the tools off her desk, flipped through the book to its end, and cut into the inside back cover, revealing a secret compartment. Swapping her tool for her tweezers, she reached in and pulled out her most prized possession, something that more than warranted this much security: a small, golden, hexagonal crystal with thousands and thousands of interlocking hexagonal cells forming a lattice inside of it.
A Hive microprocessor. One of the most coveted and valuable pieces of technology in the world, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that there were people who would kill her to get their hands on it. She really did not like to dwell on the things she had to do to get her hands on this one, but if it worked, then everything would be worth it.
With even greater care than she had demonstrated when handling the microchip, she very slowly placed the microprocessor into the open panel, filling it completely. There was a click as it locked into place, and the crystal lit up, a wave of light washing out from it to engulf the entire circlet, turning it golden and giving it a honeycomb texture.
"It's compatible!" Nushi squealed in delight, nearly falling out of her chair and excitement. "Do you realize what this means, guys?" She eagerly asked her insect companions. "I've successfully managed to interface Hive and human technology without help from the Hive! I'm going to get a Nobel Prize at the least for this!"
The insects did not appear to be particularly happy for her.
Ignoring their indifference, she picked up the circlet reverently. "Of course, now we need to see if it actually works as planned. Cross your pedipalps and wish me luck!"
Her spider, the only one of her pets that actually had pedipalps, did no such thing. She'd never been a team player.
Freeing her hair from its pigtails so it wouldn't get in the way, allowing it to freely flow down her back, Nushi carefully lowered the circlet over her head as if it were a crown, which it might as well have been. Once it was in place, the microprocessor lit up even brighter, the cables on either side unfurling to reveal themselves to be artificial antenna, and the hexagons started shimmering.
"Okay…" She murmured, psyching herself up. She took out her phone, set it on a tripod, and set it to start recording. A real scientist made sure to document their work, after all. "Moment of truth…"
Looking at her ant farm, she picked out one of the hundreds of seemingly identical insects milling about and thought, Stop at it.
The ant stopped in place.
Her heart leaping into her throat, she opened her mouth to whoop with joy… Then caught herself. This didn't necessarily mean anything. The ant could have stopped for any number of reasons. More testing was required.
Concentrating on the ant again, she thought, Take a step to the right.
The ant took a step to the right.
Her mouth went dry. Take a step to the left.
The ant took a step to the left.
This was happening. This was actually happening. She pinched herself, just make sure.
"Ow."
This was happening.
Again, she tamped down the urge to start cheering. She wasn't finished testing yet. Leaning back from the ant farm, she directed her focus to the entire colony, and thought, Stop.
Every single ant stopped.
Although it was unprofessional, she couldn't repress a squeal of joy. It was working. It was actually working!
She started issuing further commands, more complex ones. Ordering some ants to go one way and others another. Commanding them to dig in certain directions. Gathering all of them one place and having them do a dance. Making them spell out her name with their bodies.
Every command was followed to the letter. Every test passed with flying colors.
"Okay," she said, again resisting the urge to start dancing and doing back flips in celebration. "But will this work on less social insects?"
Reluctantly turning away from the ants, she focused on a different terrarium, containing a praying mantis. Raise your left limb.
The mantis raised her left limb.
Excited, she issued several other commands. Moving her other appendages in sequence, eating only part of a grub, moving in a particular pattern… Again, everything worked perfectly.
Getting really excited now, she decided to try something really tricky. She turned to another habitat, in which a cocoon hung from a fake branch. The insect within should have emerged several days ago, but was either dead or a late bloomer. Time to see which one it was.
Wake up.
The cocoon rustled, and her heart skipped a beat. Bit by bit, the chrysalis came apart from the inside, as a butterfly crawled out. It spread its wings, iridescent colors shining brilliantly as the sunlight from outside passed through them.
Awestruck, Nushi took the lid off the habitat, extended a finger, and told the butterfly, Come to me.
With a flutter of its wings, the butterfly landed on her fingertip, looking up at her quizzically.
She swallowed, hard. Her vision blurred as tears started welling up.
Carefully, so as not to startle her passenger, she walked over to the open window and held her hand out. Fly.
The butterfly leapt off her finger, flying into the clear blue sky.
She considered, briefly, calling it back.
Instead, she reluctantly turned away and returned to her desk. One last test remained.
She concentrated on the fourth terrarium, the one containing her spider. Focusing on it, she issued a command.
When the spider didn't respond, for a moment, she thought she had discovered the limits of her device.
And then it suddenly got up, climbed to the top of its cage, and started weaving a web.
Watching with wide eyes, hardly daring to breathe, Nushi stared as, bit by bit, her spider outdid the fabled Charlotte by weaving a web that looked exactly like the face of Queen Apista.
"It worked," she said finally.
A dazzling grin split her face and she started laughing, tears rolling down her face. "It worked! It worked, it worked, it worked! I did it! I DID IT!"
She shoved back from her desk and started doing cartwheels, needing to burn off this energy somehow, all the while babbling about how she'd done it. Seeming to pick up on the excitement being transmitted by the circlet, her insect friends also started doing cartwheels, and while she didn't notice at the moment, everything was caught on camera and she'd be even more excited when she sought later.
Finally managing to calm herself down, she eagerly started chattering, "This will change everything! Insects are everywhere, and this will let people communicate with them, understand them… We can use them to help scout out hazardous areas, construct buildings, find lost people, revolutionize textiles and pharmaceuticals… The applications are practically limitless!"
Shooting a particularly large pinup of the Hive Queen an adoring look, Nushi blew her a kiss. "I did it, Your Majesty. This will help humans understand your species better and bring our two peoples together. A brighter future for both of us awaits."
Her expression softening, she glanced at a picture also hanging up with the rest of her documents, an old photograph of a little girl standing next to a grotesque insect monster on top of the Great Wall. Both of them looked very happy. "This is what you always wanted too, right, dad? I wish you were here to see it…"
"Has he passed on?"
Nushi shook her head. "No, he's back home in China. I'd always hoped that when I finished this project he'd be the first to see it, but obviously that won't work for practical reasons-"
She stiffened. She was alone in her room. Who had just said that?
Slowly, she looked at her insect companions. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if her invention not only allowed her to command insects, but for them to talk back.
Then she realized the voice had come from behind her and turned around to see that there was now a rather large mechanical ladybug sitting on her windowsill, big enough that it could probably comfortably wrap all six legs around her wrist. It was incredibly sophisticated, its legs and antennae articulated for full range of motion, glowing hexagonal patterns covering its body, with a glowing Hive microprocessor sitting in the center of his head. Its red wing covers were made of an incredibly pretty ruby crystal through which incredibly complex circuitry could be seen covering its wings, and its eyes were a gorgeous multifaceted blue glowing with a soft, warm light.
Squealing in delight, Nushi rushed over to examine her little visitor. "Oh my gosh, you're so pretty! You have to be one of the most amazing things I've ever seen!"
The oversized ladybug preened at this. "Why, thank you. It's good to see I chose someone with a discerning eye."
"I wasn't aware that Hive drones were sophisticated enough to talk, though," Nushi commented in puzzlement as she observed her visitor from all angles, desperately wanting to take her apart to see what made her tick but fairly certain the ladybug might object to that.
"That's because they're not," the ladybug said proudly, drawing herself up. "I am no drone, but Coccinella, one of the Divine Insects who serve the Queen and protect the Hive. A great danger approaches the Earth, and so my mistress dispatched me to find a hero worthy of my power." Her antenna twitched, and if she had a mouth, Nushi suspected she would be smiling.
Nushi gasped. "Queen… Queen Apista knows about me?!" She whispered, feeling like she was about to faint.
Much to her disappointment, Coccinella shook her head. "No, I doubt she's ever heard of you before. I was tasked to find an individual with certain qualities… And that person is you."
"Me?" Nushi asked in disbelief, pointing herself in astonishment.
"I am as surprised as you," Coccinella confessed. "I had expected my chosen to be a member of the Hive, as all your predecessors have been."
She tapped the glowing crystal on her head. "My selection software never lies, though. You are indeed the hero I have been searching for."
Nushi frowned, uncertain. "A hero? That's… a bit of a stretch, isn't it? I mean, yes, I love insects, and I'm kind of a genius if I do say so myself, and a huge fan of the Hive, but… Are you sure I'm the right one?"
"Without a doubt," Coccinella insisted. "All of my ladybugs share the same qualities: bravery. Compassion. Cleverness. The heart of a born leader, and the drive to never, EVER give up. All this and more I sense within you.
"And if you still doubt my words… Then come with me to Hive City, and Her Majesty will assuage all your doubts. Even if you are not the one, she will still want to meet you because of your marvelous invention. Her Majesty is always striving to find ways to help our peoples better understand each other, and your device will certainly help in building bridges."
Nushi stared at her. Her heart skipped a beat. "Hive City."
"Yes," Coccinella replied.
"As in, where pretty much every member of the Hive on Earth currently lives, and possibly the most technologically advanced location on the planet, where every day humans and insects are working together to strive for a better future."
"Precisely."
"To meet Queen Apista, one of the wisest, kindest, most beautiful alien monarchs to ever visit our planet, who not only does not want to conquer us, is willing to share her incredible technology and culture with us, but also just so happened to be the trigger to my lesbian awakening and the source of way, way too many sleepless nights and reeeeeeeeally good dreams."
Coccinella stared at her, more than a little disturbed. "I… Did not need to hear that last part, but… Yes."
Nushi slammed her hands down either side of the ladybug, startling her, and leaned in so close their foreheads were practically touching. Looking her straight in the eyes, the Chinese transfer student very seriously said, "I would literally cut off my left arm for a chance to go to Hive City and meet the Queen. I would murder someone for that opportunity. Let's go."
As Nushi bustled around the room, grabbing everything she thought she might need for the journey, Coccinella, for possibly the first time in her eons of existence, wondered if she had made a mistake in her selection.